MUT (pronounced MOOT) is the Egyptian Goddess of motherhood, worshipped at Thebes in Upper Egypt. To the Thebans, she displaced Amaunet as the wife of Amun, and is often depicted with Amun and his son, the moon God Khonsu. She was shown in human form with a vulture headdress, wearing a bright red or blue dress. Egyptian queens wore headdresses in the form of vultures in order to emulate the Goddess, who was seen as the mother of the king. Later, Mut became identified with Sekhmet and took on her form as a lioness. In this representation, Mut was the fiercely protective mother; traitors to the king were destroyed by fire in her honor. Mut's name, which means "mother," is also seen as MOUT or MAUT.